President-elect Candidate
Video
Current Position:
- Director of Libraries, Isché Library, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2018 to present.
Previous Positions (Last 15 Years):
- Executive Director, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern Atlantic Region, Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, 2011-2018.
- Technology Coordinator, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern Atlantic Region, Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, 2004-2011.
MLA Official Activities (Last 15 Years)
National:
- Medical Library Association, member 2004 – present;
- Decade of Does: member and moderator 2024;
- Board of Directors: Treasurer 2021-2023, Director 2020-2023; Janet Doe Lectureship: Jury Chair 2019; 2019 MLA National Planning Committee, Chair 2016-2019;
- 2016 Joint MLA/CHLA/ABSC/ICLC Planning Committee, Member 2014-2016;
- Nominating Committee, Member 2013;
- Section Project Award Jury, Member 2011-2012;
- Technology Advisory Committee, Member 2010-2011;
- Task Force on Social Networking Software, Member 2009-2011;
- CORE Editor 2006-2011.
Caucus:
- Technology in Education (Educational Media and Technology Section): member, 2009-present, Chair-Elect, Chair, Past-Chair 2010-2013;
- LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Sciences Librarians Special Interest Group): member 2001-present, co-covener 2004-2008;
- Social Justice and Health Disparities (Relevant Issues Section): member: 2003-present, secretary/treasurer 2003-2004, Chair-Elect, Chair, Past-Chair 2008-2011;
- Leadership and Management: member 2011-present;
- Data: member 2020-present;
- Research: member 2020-present;
- Medical Informatics: member 2020-present;
- Systematic Review Caucus: member 2020-present;
- Hospital Library: member 2020-present;
- Public Health/Health Administration: member 2020-present;
- Consumer and Patient Health Information Service: member 2020-present;
- African American Medical LIbrarians Alliance: member 2020-present;
- Nursing and Allied Health Resources and Services: member 2020-present;
- Accessibility and Disability: member 2020-present;
- Latinx: member 2020-present.
Chapter:
- Mid-Atlantic Chapter: member 2001-2018, Membership Committee, co-chair 2001-2003, Professional Development Committee, member 2004-2007, chair 2005-2007, 2007 Annual Meeting Planning Committee, chair 2005-2007, chair-elect, chair, past-chair 2007-2010, Professional Development Committee, chair 2016-2017.
- Southern Chapter, member 2002-2018.
- South Central Chapter, member 2018-present, Fund Raising Committee, member 2018-2020.
Professional Activities (Last 15 Years)
- LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network, member 2018-present, chair-elect, chair, past chair 2020-2023, Institutional Repository Working Group, chair 2019-2022, Electronic Resources Working Group, chair 2019-2023, Executive Board Secretary 2019-2020.
- South Central Academic Medical Libraries (SCAMeL), member 2018-present, Membership Committee, member 2019-2022, Finance Committee, member 2018-2020, chair 2020-present.
- Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries, member 2018-present, Nominating Committee, member 2019-2020, Future Leadership Committee, member 2019-2023; NLM/AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program, mentor 2022-2023.
- University of Maryland Baltimore, Middle States 2016 Working Group, member 2014-2016.
- Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries, eTechnology column editor 2011-2014
Professional Honors:
- N/A
Education:
- MLS, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 1998.
- MA, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 1995.
- BA, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 1989.
Publications (Last 15 Years):
- Prince, J. Dale. “Precision Medicine: An Introduction.” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2017 July – December, 14(3): 120-129.
- Tooey M, Bodycomb A, Hinegardner P, Mayo A, Prince J. Strengthening Strategic Planning Through Diverse Collaborations. In: Shipman J, Tooey M, ed. Strategic Collaborations in Health Sciences Libraries. Chandos Publishing; 2019: 109-124.
- Prince, J. Dale. “Quantum Computing: An Introduction.” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2014 July-September, 11(3): 155-8.
- Prince, J. Dale. “The Quantified Self: Operationalizing the Quotidian,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2014 April-June, 11(2): 91-9.
- Prince, J. Dale. “3D Printing: An Industrial Revolution,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2014 January-March, 11(1): 39-45.
- Harris, R, A Mayo, JD Prince, and MJ Tooey. “Creating Shared Campus Experiences: the Library as Culture Club,” J Med Libr Assoc. 2013 October, 101(4): 254-6.
- Prince. J. Dale. “Gamification,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2013 July-September, 10(3): 162-9.
- Prince, J. Dale. “HTML5: Not Just a Substitute for Flash,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2013 April-June, 10(2): 108-12.
- Prince, J. Dale. “Keeping Up with Technology: Some Resources,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2013 January-March, 10(1): 52-64.
- Prince, J. Dale. “Keeping Up with Techology: Sources for Mid- to Long- Term Planning,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2012 October – December, 9(4): 300-7
- Prince J. Dale. “Educated Groceries: The Internet of Things on the Rise,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2012 July – September, 9(3): 232-9
- Prince, J. Dale. “Ten Essential Cloud-Based Apps for Medical Librarians,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2012 April-June, 9(2): 155-66
- Prince, J. Dale. “Climate Change in Libraries: Library Functions Move to the Cloud,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2012 April-June, 9(2): 232-39.
- Prince, J. Dale. “Introduction to Cloud Computing,” Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. 2011 October-December, 8(4): 449-58.
- Rethlefsen, M, M Piorun, and JD Prince. “Teaching Web 2.0 technologies,”
- J Med Libr Assoc. 2009 October; 97(4): 253–59
- Prince, JD. Book Review “M-Libraries: Libraries on the Move to Provide Virtual
- Access,” J Med Libr Assoc. 2009 October; 97(4): 321
Candidate Questions from the Nominating Committee (500 word limit combined)
Tell us a bit about your skills, qualifications, and why you are interested in serving as MLA President.
I have held leadership roles at both regional and national levels, including Committee Chair, Chapter Chair, MLA Board Member, and most recently, MLA Treasurer. Beyond feeling that MLA is home, I am driven to help shape its future because I deeply believe in its commitment to professional development, evidence-based information, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. In a world where evidence and diversity are increasingly under attack, MLA stands as a beacon for what truly matters—and I would be honored to lead it forward.
Describe your leadership style and how you will strive to inspire and involve members in decision-making?
My leadership style is collaborative. It has to be. I’m a magpie in that I collect a little bit about a lot. In most cases, I know a few things, but I’m not an expert; the people around me are. So I believe in cultivating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and all voices have the opportunity to be heard. By respecting the experiences and viewpoints of others, I ensure that decisions are informed by collective expertise.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing MLA and how would you work with the board and members to address it?
Misinformation presents the greatest challenge to the MLA as an organization of health information professionals. At both consumer and professional levels, we contend with fraud, professional misconduct, and politically or financially driven misinformation campaigns—each threatening the integrity of evidence-based practice. Upholding our commitment to reliable, research-driven information is more critical than ever in this landscape where science is often denied or subverted.
What strategic initiatives do you think would be most helpful for ensuring that MLA remains a vibrant and useful association?
I would prioritize strategic initiatives focused on professional development and leveraging existing structures to enhance engagement and inclusivity. I encourage MLA to implement a formal mentoring program that extends beyond the annual meeting mentor program we currently have. This can be as simple or as complex as we desire, ranging from connecting two people who want to share to something as intricate and expensive as the AAHSL program (though probably not). Additionally, caucuses are extraordinarily underused. Most I belong to are announcement lists rather than discussion lists. I’d like to see them become more robust, fostering support for shared interests rather than merely serving as a venue for announcing position openings. Caucuses should be vibrant communities, alive with support and connection. Furthermore, as much as library directors may cringe, I’d propose making the library statistics tracking of MLA more comprehensive (I know: you’re surprised MLA does this!). While AAHSL, IPEDS (with library information being phased out), and ACRL all have specific demographics that are important, I believe we can strengthen and differentiate the MLA statistics.
If elected to be MLA President, how would you demonstrate the value of membership to the organization?
I would emphasize MLA’s commitment to professional development (especially when joined with the power of the Passport), including AHIP and the Specializations (which many of my librarians have), the value of MLA service to long-term career plans, the financial support available for members through scholarships and awards, and finally, but most importantly in my mind, given my earlier statement that MLA feels like home, networking and peer support.